I still think
by kiwifruit19
Summary: Darren always knew he didn't like girls. Chris always thought he'd be alone. What happens when Darren moves to Clovis and the two become friends during their Junior year only to be torn apart a few months later? Don't worry it ends happily! CrissColfer
1. Part One!

**So,**

**This was actually a dream I had almost a year ago that wouldn't go away so, after some persuasion from my friends, I decided to write it. This is only the first half of it. I was going to only have it be a one shot but it is already twenty one pages long and I'm only about half way done maybe a bit more so I decided to have it be in two parts. So here is part one! enjoy!**

**kiwi!**

**PS. Darren is the same age as Chris in this story!**

**PPS. I own nothing! Although, I wouldn't mind owning my own Darren and Chris! But alas, it was not meant to be! Oh well!**

**PPPS. ... means that the story is changing perspective.**

**PPPPS. Notes between Darren and Chris are now fixed! Hopefully that conversation makes more sense!**

**PPPPPS. I edited the story and changed a few things so hopefully you guys will still love it**

* * *

><p>Darren always knew he didn't like girls, at least not like boys were supposed to. Don't get him wrong, they're pretty and all but he's just never had those feelings for them. He had asked his parents about it when he was a little boy and they had told him they would love him either way and that there was nothing wrong with liking boys the way he was supposed to like girls. But he didn't! That was what was so confusing to his five-year-old mind. If he didn't like boys and he didn't like girls…what did he like?<p>

Boys, he liked boys. How did he know this? He owed it all to his best childhood friend Peter's fourteenth birthday party. They were all sitting in Peter's basement playing spin the bottle with an empty sparkling cider bottle when the prettiest girl in eighth grade, Mary Louise Brighton, spun and landed on him. She had sat up and leaned over closing the short distance between them and kissed him and it felt weird. Like really weird, like kissing your sister weird. They broke apart a few seconds later and it was Darren's turn to spin.

He watched eye's wide with curiosity as the bottle stopped on Riker Harrison, the only gay boy Darren knew. He leaned in when Riker did and they kissed and it felt…it felt right. His eyes snapped shut and he leaned in slightly more cupping Riker's cheek with his hand, thinking this is how a kiss should be. Wait what? Darren began to panic his eyes snapping open in shock. He took one look around at the shocked look on his friends faces and bolted unaware of Riker running right behind him calling his name.

He was vaguely aware of someone grabbing his arm and pulling him into an empty room. He hadn't even realized he was crying until a pair of arms snaked around him, Riker's arms.

"Shh. Shh. Hey, its ok. It's ok" Riker mumbled soothingly into his ear until he had calmed down and the tears had stopped.

"How-how did you know?" Darren asked staring at the door of the room; which ironically turned out to be a closet. They had been sitting on the floor Darren's head resting on Riker's lap Riker running a hand through Darren's unruly curls for a while as Darren calmed down. That was another thing about Darren; he liked cuddling with people especially when he was upset.

"Know what?" Riker asked his hand pausing in Darren's hair.

"That you were…that you were gay?" He asked turning to look in Riker's bright blue eyes.

"I didn't" Riker laughed lightly. "Not at first. I mean I knew I was different; I liked playing with the girls and talking about boys and I always thought boys were pretty. But other then that I had no clue. Not until a few years ago. I was looking through a magazine with my guy friends and I saw a picture of a male model." He broke off with a laugh. "He was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen, I'm talking gorgeous blue eyes, tan skin, great smile, and abs…miles of abs…like an eight pack." They both laughed this.

"I showed my friends the picture and they told me that boys aren't cute girls were. So I told them I didn't think girls were cute nor did I like boobs…they looked like I had just told them that everything they had ever known was a lie…it was pretty funny. They still try to convince me that boobs are awesome…I still don't like them."

"Anyway, I went home that night and came out to my parents and then to my friends the next day." Riker finished.

"Riker" Darren said a few minutes later.

"Yeah Darren?"

"I'm gay"

Darren and Riker grew close in the three years that followed, almost inseparable but they never really dated although most people thought they did. So it was with a sad and heavy heart that Darren told him the news. They were leaving…moving to some hick town called Clovis because his dad got a promotion at work and Clovis was closer to Fresno then San Francisco.

"Why are you leaving again?" Riker asked running a hand through Darren's hair, something, he found, that always seemed to relax Darren.

"My dad got a promotion in stupid Fresno and he's making us move to Clovis" Darren replied bitterly shifting his head slightly to find a more comfortable position in Riker's lap.

"Why not move to Fresno then?" Riker asked.

"I don't know…something about more affordable housing or something…I stopped paying attention after "You're dad got that promotion in Fresno! We're moving to Clovis!"" Darren replied. "I don't want to go to Clovis" Darren sneered the name.  
>"I don't want you to either." Riker replied. "What about Chuck? Is he going with you?" he asked.<p>

"No, he left for college a few months ago…lucky bastard" Darren muttered feeling very envious of his brother.

Riker's mom called from the stairs, "Darren sweetie your parents say its time for you to go!" a few seconds later signaling that their time had come to an end.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye." Darren said sadly.

"Come on I'll walk you out" Riker replied untangling himself from Darren and heading for the front door Darren following behind. They turned to each other once they reached the small front porch and hugged each other for the last time.

"I'll miss you" Darren whispered.

"I'll always be here for you Dare. Always" Riker promised. They pulled away each with a tear in their eyes and Darren climbed into the back of his parents car waving from the back window as they drove off down the road.

….

Chris sighed when his books and papers were thrown on the ground and he was slammed into yet another locker, the force of it causing him to fall to ground.

"Yeah keeping walking ass hat! You'll be washing my car some day." He muttered to himself gathering his papers and books. He reached out to pick up an old French paper that most likely had been hiding in his French textbook only to see that a boy with light olive toned skin and wild curly brown hair had picked it up. He also had a few more papers that had scattered about.

The boy, sensing Chris watching him, looked up and Chris couldn't help but notice that he had the most gorgeous golden honey brown eyes he had ever seen. There wasn't hatred or disgust in them like in most people's eyes when they looked at him. Instead there was happiness and…concern?

"You ok?" he asked his voice washing over Chris filling him with a sense of relief…this guy wasn't going to hurt him…yet.

"Why are you helping me?" Chris asked.

"Because that asshole knocked you into a locker and threw your books on the ground and no one else was helping you." The boy replied handing him his books.

"You're new here aren't you?" Chris asked straightening up.

"Yeah…I'm Darren by the way!" He introduced himself enthusiastically, sticking out his hand practically bouncing up and down, reminding Chris of an overexcited puppy.

"I'm not someone you should get to know." Chris replied walking down the now empty hallway towards his first class.

"Why not?" Darren asked walking alongside him.

"Because," Chris sighed, better get this over with now he thought bitterly.

"Because I'm the school queer with the high voice." He told him waiting for the snide remark Darren would say before walking off.

"So?"

"So, if that ass hole and his Neanderthalic friends see you hanging out with me they'll make you're life a living hell too." Chris replied pinching the bridge of his nose in an effort to calm himself; he felt as though he was talking to a five year old.

"I don't care. I'm not going to avoid you just because some assholes don't like who you are. You don't choose who you love and being attracted to men doesn't make you any less of a human being." Darren told him passionately catching him off guard.

"That's sweet and all but I don't want them to think that I "infected you with my gay"" Chris replied

"Don't worry about that." Darren told him.

"Why not?"

"I'm gay too." Darren told him softly, wincing at Chris's sharp intake of air.

"You're…you're like me?" Chris asked him incredulously…it was way too good to be true there was no way this incredibly cute, sweet puppy like guy was gay.

"Yeah." Darren replied simply.

"Just…don't tell anyone." Chris told him, for some reason he didn't like the idea of those ass holes hurting Darren like they did him. He didn't want him to lose the childlike innocence Darren seemed to have.

"Why not?"

"Because they will tear you apart and just…just stay away from me too. You'll just get hurt." Chris muttered to himself, running towards his next class.

….

Darren watched Chris run off down the hall his last words echoing in Darren's head. He couldn't understand how such beautiful blue/green/gray eyes could hold so much pain and torture. He couldn't understand why people would want to hurt a beautiful porcelain skinned boy like him simply because of who he fell in love with. After all, you love who you love, it shouldn't matter the gender, that's what Darren always thought and felt. He just couldn't understand.

He ran his fingers through his hair with a frustrated sigh before walking off in search of his first period history class. He found it a few minutes later arriving horrendously late.

"Ah…you must be Mr. Criss the new transfer?" His teacher asked. She was an older woman with white hair and green eyes that were currently glaring at him.

"Yes ma'am" Darren said politely.

"I am Mrs. Gresham and I do not tolerate tardiness. I will give you a detention if you are so again. We will be learning about the different branches of the government today…I will expect you to fulfill today's assignment along with the catch up work I have for you." She said handing him a huge packet of paper. "The catch up work will be due Monday you may sit next to Ms. Michele." Mrs. Gresham replied curtly pointing to a girl with long brown hair and big brown eyes before turning back to the board in the front of the class.

"Don't worry about her…she hates everyone." Ms. Michele told him when he sat down.

"And that's a good thing?" Darren replied grabbing a purple notebook with the word history scrawled across the cover and a pencil to take notes with.

"Good point. I'm Lea by the way." Lea introduced herself.

"Darren" Darren replied

"Ms. Michele! Mr. Criss! There is no talking in my class! One more interruption and you will get detention! Mr. Colfer! I thought I told you about being late to my class!" Mrs. Gresham snapped at none other than Chris who had slid into the room so quietly Darren wouldn't have known he was there if she hadn't said anything.

"Sorry Mrs. G, some jerk thought it would be fun to steal my books and…"Chris began to explain exasperatedly.

"I don't care why you are late! One more time and you'll get a detention now sit down!" She replied before bouncing back into her lecture like nothing had happened.

"Hey stranger…looks like we have a class together!" Darren whispered enthusiastically to Chris who had sat down on Lea's other side.

….

"Ooh goody!" Chris replied sarcastically taking out his own notebook.

"Wait you know each other?" Lea asked.

"Yeah, I helped him pick up his books when some jerk wad knocked them out of his hands." Darren explained smiling over at Chris before opening his book and taking notes.

"He did?" Lea asked.

"Oh no! I know that face and whatever you're thinking the answer is no!" Chris hissed.

"I'm not thinking anything." She said ignoring Chris saying something that sounded like "bullshit" while pretending to cough. "Is he gay?" She asked.

"No…well yes but no you are NOT hooking me up with him! He doesn't even like me that way!" Chris hissed.

"Oh please! Did you see the way he looked at you?" she pressed.

"You know just because he doesn't look at me with disdain doesn't mean he automatically likes me! Besides he probably has a boyfriend back home where ever home is!" Chris sputtered.

"San Francisco." Darren muttered not looking up from his notes.

"What?"

"What?" Lea and Chris asked at the same time.

"That's where I'm from, San Francisco." Darren told them.

"Mr. Criss! Ms. Michele! Mr. Colfer! Detention! After school today! I will see you here." Mrs. Gresham screeched the bell ringing a few seconds later.

"Well that's just peachy!" Chris said sarcastically, forcibly shoving his notebook into his bag.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm single." Darren told him.

"Loads." Chris deadpanned before storming out of the room muttering curse words under his breath.

….

"Don't worry about him…he gets that way…it has nothing to do with you." Lea told him packing up her bag.

"I wonder what happened to make him so cold like that?" Darren questioned wondering how such beautiful eyes could hold such pain and anguish and why it hurt him, Darren, so much to see him like that.

"Well when you get bullied as much as he does it tends to make you wary of people." Lea said sadly following him out of the classroom. "What class do you have next?" She asked.

"Ew… AP Bio with Mr. Martin…God I'm so going to fail that class!" Darren moaned looking at his schedule.

"No worries, I have that class next…I'll help you out." Lea said linking arms with him.

"Thanks! You're a fucking life saver!" Darren replied

"No Problem."

" Although I should warn you that I should be kept away from the Bunsen burners." He informed her allowing her to lead him to their next classroom.

"Why?" Lea asked warily.

"Because things tend to blow up or catch fire every time I attempt to use one." Darren admitted ashamedly.

"You blew up the science lab at your old school didn't you?" She asked suspiciously.

"Twice"

"Darren!"

"Ok three times but the third wasn't my fault!" Darren admitted.

….

Chris saw Darren earlier then he had expected to. It turned out they had Sixth period Pre-calculus together. He had somehow managed to get there early without getting thrown into a locker or having an insult thrown at him this passing period and managed to get a seat close enough to the back of the classroom that he wouldn't be bothered but he would also be able to follow along with the lecture as well.

He pulled out his latest screenplay and began editing the scene that he had been working on earlier when the door burst open and none other than Darren freaking Criss burst into the room with that obnoxious smile that Chris was beginning to hate. He talked to Mr. Abler for a few moments before heading to the only open seat left in the class…right next to Chris.

"Hey! Looks like we have two classes together!" Darren said enthusiastically sitting in the desk next to Chris's.

"Looks like it." Chris muttered watching Darren take out another notebook; Pink this time, with the word Pre-calculus written on it. "Pink? Really?" Chris asked skeptically.

"Hell yeah! Pink's an awesome color!" Darren replied flipping to a blank page.

"If you say so." Chris replied skeptically.

"Whatcha writing?" Darren asked turning his head sideways to try to read Chris's screenplay.

"Nothing!" Chris replied quickly, placing his screenplay back in his bag and grabbing a notebook for his math notes.

"If you say so." Darren quoted him before turning towards the front of the class to take notes, sticking his tongue out in concentration. Chris spent the rest of the class forcing him-self to take notes instead of focusing on how adorable Darren looked as he concentrated hard on taking notes looking up in confusion every now and then. Nope, he definitely wasn't falling for Darren…not at all.

….

"Well that was the most confusing thing I have ever tried to learn!" Darren announced walking to detention with Chris. Chris merely grunted in response. "I mean…did you understand any of it? Cause I sure didn't and I know for a fact we were nowhere near there yet in my class back home!" Darren rambled on in frustration.

"There will be no talking!" Mrs. Gresham screeched when they entered her now empty, well empty minus her and Lea, classroom. "Take a seat, grab an assignment and work…you will be here for the next hour. I will tell you when you may leave." She said shortly before sitting back behind her desk grading papers.

Darren gave Chris a goofy smile before sitting behind him next Lea.

"You like him" Lea stated after Darren spent five whole minutes spacing out staring at the back of Chris's head as he worked on…whatever it was from earlier.

"I-I don't know…I mean I've known him for all of half a day." Darren replied thoughtfully before going back to trying to decipher his math notes from earlier. "Gah! I am never going to understand this!" Darren muttered a few moments later.

"You know…Chris is really good at math…I bet he could help" Lea told him without looking up from the book she was reading.

"Chris! Chris! Hey Chris!" Darren hissed when he didn't respond.

"Leave me alone! You're going to get me into trouble!" Chris whisper shouted.

"No talking!" Mrs. Gresham hissed causing Chris to growl and turn back to his whatever it was...Darren still didn't know. After a few more attempts at getting Chris's attention Darren sighed before tearing a piece of paper out of his notebook and writing.

_Will you please stop ignoring me :(_

_I have an important question to ask you!_

Darren crumpled the paper and threw it at him, smiling when it landed on his desk where he couldn't pretend not to see it. Darren nearly whooped with happiness when, after ignoring it for a few minutes, Chris let out a sigh and Darren could almost feel him roll his eyes when he opened the paper and read it before scribbling something on it and throwing it back to him

**No you cannot read my screenplay.**

Darren snorted quietly before penning a reply.

_So that's what you're writing! :P_

_Anyway, I was wondering if you could like help me with Pre-calculus cause I don't understand a fucking thing we are doing right now._

**I don't know if that's such a good idea :\**

_Why? :l_

**Because, I don't want people to think that we're dating and then beat you up for being gay too :(**

_Awww, he cares ^.^_

_But seriously, I wasn't kidding earlier when I said I didn't care besides anyone would be crazy lucky to get to date an amazing guy like you_

**Thank you :)**

**And no I don't care…I just don't want you to get your hobbit ass kicked in front of everybody…it would be very embarrassing…for you :P**

Darren laughed out loud at that before replying.

_You wish! :D_

_Don't tell anyone but this hobbit can kick some serious ass!_

**Yeah, and Dumbo's going to come flying out my ass at midnight ;)**

_Oh my God 0.o_

_Don't tell me you love Disney too!_

**Hell yeah!**

**Disney is the best! :)**

_:L_

_I think I love you_

_Everyone always says Disney is for kids and that I'm too old for it :(_

**O.o Too old for Disney!**

**There is no such thing! It's an outrage! Lies I tell you, Lies!**

_I know! :P_

_So. Mulan or Cinderella?_

**Psh, Mulan. Cinderella just ran around cleaning her house and letting her stepsisters step all over her and then ran off crying when they ripped her dress.**

_And you wouldn't cry if someone ripped a dress your mouse friends took hours making for you?_

**Ha! No, I'd punch them in the face**

_Well then, remind me never to rip your dress Mr. Colfer._

**Will do Mr. Criss**

_So….. Little Mermaid or Aladdin?_

…..

Chris let out a snort when he read the question before writing a quick reply and throwing it back only to have Mrs. Gresham grab it off Darren's desk before he could read it.

"Ms. Michele you may leave." She said glaring down at the boys. Lea sent them both a sympathetic look before grabbing her bag and leaving.

Mrs. Gresham finally let the boys go a half an hour later.

"So, will you help me with Pre-calculus?" Darren asked Chris once they'd left the classroom, causing him to roll his eyes.

"If you ask nicely, I'll think about it." Chris told him.

"Oh, wise, wonderful, Amazing, all mighty powerful Chris, whom I could never ever measure up to in a hundred years will you please, please, please find it within yourself to tutor me in Pre-calculus?" Darren begged falling to his knees comically. Chris burst out laughing before replying. "Well since you asked so nicely…I guess I could spare you a few minutes every couple of days to help you out."

"Oh my God! Thank you!" Darren replied standing up and pulling Chris into a hug, letting go instantly when Chris stiffened up at the sudden contact. "Oh shit…I'm sorry! I should have asked you before I did that…shit!" Darren swore running his fingers through his hair in an adorable way, and no Chris isn't falling for him!

"Darren, Darren! It's ok I forgive you. I'm just not used to people touching me in a friendly manner." Chris explained.

"Oh Chris." Darren muttered softly a tear in his eye pulling Chris into another hug. Chris was surprised to see not sympathy reflected in those beautiful hazel eyes but empathy and after a few seconds he returned the hug wrapping his arms around Darren's waist burying his head in the crook of Darren's neck breathing in his sweet slightly musky scent of sandal wood and cinnamon. "Just so you know." Darren said pulling away slightly so he could look Chris in the eye. "I won't ever do anything to hurt you." The look of honesty and heartfelt promise in his eyes left no doubt in Chris's mind that Darren meant every word he said.

"Thank you" Chris whispered softly.

"So…would you like to come over to my house tomorrow and help me with Pre-calculus?" Darren asked once they broke apart sniffling slightly.

"I would love to." Chris replied before they walked their separate ways. "By the way," he called when he reached the end of the hallway "Little Mermaid all the way!" he yelled causing Darren to burst out laughing and damn if that wasn't best sound in the entire world. Darren waved sending him one more dazzling smile before he left that Chris would deny even with his dying breath made his heart speed up and his lungs forget how to work momentarily.

….

Darren grinned when Chris snorted the next day when he walked up to Chris's locker wearing his favorite pink flannel shirt and pink sunglasses.

"Well, someone sure likes the color pink."

"Hell yeah, what's not to like about it?" Darren asked leaning against the locker next to Chris's hanging his glasses on his shirt.

"Gee I don't know it brings out your gay quite nicely." Sneered a cold voice from the other side of Chris's locker.

"What do you want asshole I mean Austin?" Chris sighed staring dully at the six foot four football player who had made it his life's mission to make Chris's life a living hell. Darren didn't like this guy and couldn't understand why he felt so protective of Chris all of a sudden.

"To see why you're trying to infect the new kid with your gay Colfag." Austin sneered; nope Darren didn't like him at all.

"Colfer…his last name is Colfer." Darren said simply pushing up from the locker he was leaning on standing almost directly in front of Chris. "And he can't "infect" anybody with his "gay". It's not a disease you can catch it's something you are. You either like boys or you don't. You don't choose it and you certainly can't make someone else choose it either." Darren finished passionately.

"Don't tell me you're a fag lover." Austin replied incredulously. Nope I am one Darren thought to himself.

"You know the term "fag" is incredibly offensive and rude. Not to mention cruel but yes I do support gay rights', being gay doesn't make you any less human." Darren replied simply, feeling Chris staring at him in awe.

"Oh god that is just disgusting." Austin snarled.

"No, you're the one who is disgusting. Thinking you can go around and pick on someone because of who they love and then tell them they chose it? Like we choose be teased and taunted and tormented on a daily basis! Like I chose to have assholes like you make my life a living hell! No one in their right mind would ever choose that!" Chris snapped.

"Whatever!" Austin scoffed knocking Chris's book out of his hands and shoving Darren into the lockers for good measure and yeah that was going to bruise.

"You ok Darren" Chris asked picking up his History book.

"Yeah just…do you have to deal with assholes like that every day?" Darren asked wondering how Chris managed to keep going every day.

"Yeah." Chris replied softly.

"That is just bullshit! You should have to go through shit like that…it's not fair…you don't deserve it." Darren told him earnestly fighting the urge to pull him into his arms.

"Let's just get to class." Chris sighed softly.

"Ok." Darren replied finding and squeezing Chris's hand softly smiling encouragingly at him trying to convey to Chris that he wasn't alone... not anymore.

….

The rest of the day went away far too slowly for Chris's liking but eventually sixth period was over and poor Darren looked even more confused than before when they finally exited the school.

"So where do you live?" Chris asked following Darren off campus.

"Not far…just over the hill behind the school." Darren replied casually.

"Just be- just behind the hill! Darren, that's like two miles away!" Chris shrieked horrifiedly. There was no way in hell he was walking two miles!

"Relax!" Darren laughed. "First of all it's one point nine miles and secondly I have a car you know…I just had to park around the corner from the school this morning cause I was running late." Darren replied walking up to a beat up lime green 1968 Camaro.

"Really? Lime Green?" Chris asked raising an eyebrow incredulously.

"Don't make fun of her! She's sensitive!" Darren replied sliding into the driver's side.

"If you say so." Chris replied skeptically sliding into the passenger seat before he thought of something. "Wait…you do actually know how to drive right? You're not one of those people who shouldn't be allowed on the road are you?" He asked causing Darren to burst out laughing.

"Yes, I do know how to drive and no I am not a crazy driver." Darren told him when he finally caught his breath.

"Good because if I die because you're lying I am so going to haunt your ass!" Chris muttered closing the door and strapping himself in.

"Why…fancy my ass?" Darren teased pulling onto the road.

"Wha…no!" Chris sputtered blushing red as a tomato.

"Well it is a nice ass if I do say so myself" Darren replied cheekily.

"You keep telling you're self that." Chris muttered. "You know if you're not careful your shoulders aren't going to be able to support your head." He said more clearly.

"I do not have a big ego!" Darren replied in mock indignation pulling into a little light brown farmhouse. "And just for the record," Darren said popping his head through the driver's side door. "You love my ass." Chris rolled his eyes climbing out of Darren's car laughing when Darren walked up to his wiggling his butt as he walked.

"Is nice no?" Darren asked in a horrible French accent sticking his butt out as he opened the front door.

"No." Chris replied shaking his head at Darren's silliness.

"Hey mamma I'm home!" Darren called entering the house.

"Hey Dare bear! How was school today sweetie?" A short Filipino woman asked scurrying out of the kitchen and into the small living room where the boys were standing pulling Darren into a hug.

"It was great mamma!" Darren answered hugging her back. "Mamma, this is Chris! He is going to help me with Pre-Cal. Chris this is my mamma Cerina!" Darren introduced them.

"It's very nice to meet you Mrs. Criss" Chris said sticking his hand out to shake hers. He could see where Darren got his eyes and triangle eyebrows from, though hers were perfectly sculpted, Darren's needed some major help.

"Oh please call me mamma Criss…all of Darren's friends do." She said kindly, pulling him into a hug. "Darren sweetie, there is some fruit in the kitchen if you two are hungry and Chris is more then welcome to stay for dinner if he wants… I'm making chicken!" She announced, smiling warmly at them.

"Thank you Mrs.- mamma Criss…I would love too!" Chris replied before Darren's mom retreated up the stairs next to the living room to what Chris assumed was her bedroom. Chris smirked at Darren before saying, "Come on Dare Bear we've got home work to do."

"Ok… but I'm grabbing some fruit first…would you like some fruit Christopher?" Darren asked smirking back at him before entering the small kitchen and returning with a bug bowl of fruit.

"Don't call me Christopher." Chris grumbled following Darren down the hallway. Darren led them to the end of the hallway and through the only door there besides one led to a bathroom.

Darren's bedroom wasn't very much bigger than the tiny living room they just left. The walls were a light crème color; the wall across from the door was adorned with a few Harry Potter posters, a window, and a desk with an acoustic guitar leaning on the wall between the desk and the closet door. The wall the door was in had an old dresser pressed against it on the right side by the bed, which had been pushed against the back wall facing the rest of the room. A bookshelf took up most of the wall opposite the bed and was completely full of books, records, and CD's along with a small sound system and an old record player.

"Really Darren…do you label everything?" Chris asked looking through a stack of notebooks all of them labeled with things from Social Studies (sixth grade) to song lyrics and "Did you really catalogue your book shelf?" Chris asked flipping through it as Darren turned his radio on lowering the volume so it played softly in the background.

"Yeah…did you see how many records I have alone?" Darren replied flopping down on his black comforter.

"One hundred and forty two according to this." Chris replied, placing the notebook back with the others before tentatively sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Don't be afraid to make yourself comfortable." Darren told him patting the bed next to him and popping a strawberry into his mouth. Chris rolled his eyes before plopping down next to him and stealing a grape.

"Ok…Let's learn Pre-cal!" Chris said with fake enthusiasm.

"Ok so what the hell am I supposed to be finding here?" Darren asked an hour later.

"Find angle X using angles A, B, and C." Chris replied.

"Ok so according to the book angle X is equivalent to angle C so how do I find A, B, and C?" Darren asked.

"Angle A and angle Y are Supplementary angles." Chris replied

"Meaning that when you add them together you get 180 so 180 minus 107 will get you angle A! And angle Z and angle B are also supplementary angles and 180 minus 125 is 55 so angle B is 55 degrees and Angle A is 73 degrees!" Darren said excitedly scribbling everything down as he talked.

"Very good Dare Bear now how are you going to find angle C?" Chris asked trying not to burst out laughing at Darren's excitement.

"By subtracting angle B and angle A from 180?" Darren half asked half told him.

"Yes." Chris confirmed going back to working on his script.

"So angle C is 52 degrees therefore angle X is 52 degrees." Darren replied scribbling it down.

"Yep."

"Oh my God! I actually understood that…that made much more sense then the way Mr. Abler showed us! You're a miracle worker!" Darren almost squealed practically launching himself at Chris. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Dare-Dare I need to breathe!" Chris chuckled hugging him back allowing Darren to pull him down so they were lying face to face on his pillows.

"Sorry." Darren apologized softly, brushing a stray hair out of Chris's eyes before they fell into a comfortable silence.

"Mmm this is kinda nice." Chris muttered sleepily a few minutes later.

"What?" Darren asked.

"Having a friend…having someone who cares. It's nice." Chris replied.

"Wait…you mean to tell me you don't have a single friend?" Darren asked incredulously a look of deep sorrow in his eyes.

"Well, there's Lea but it's different with her. She's a girl…you are the first guy I have ever met outside my family who doesn't look at me in disgust or fear. Who isn't afraid to touch me like I'm some sort of disease or something." Chris finished sourly.

"Chris, you aren't a disease or disgusting. Don't ever think that…You- your beautiful Chris please don't ever forget it." Darren told him his eyes blazing with emotion giving him the sense that Darren was looking into his soul gently wiping a tear from Chris's cheek that Chris hadn't even known was falling.

"Thank you." Chris whispered.

"So Pocahontas or Sleeping beauty?" Darren asked him a few minutes later.

"Hmm…that's a hard one…what do you think?" Chris asked him. Darren chuckled lightly before responding.

"Now, now Christopher I asked you first." Darren scolded him.

"Don't call me Christopher, Dare Bear," Chris smirked.

"Aw Colfer, you really should've stopped calling me that. You see, now I'm going to have to tickle you!" Darren announced attacking Chris's sides with his fingers.

"Alright Criss it is so on!" Chris replied in between laughs before smacking Darren with one of his pillows.

"Oh! Starting a pillow fight now are we? I see…well two can play that game! Bring it on!" Darren announced grabbing his other pillow and smacking Chris with it. They ended up chasing each other around Darren's room hitting each other with Darren's pillows laughing like mad men Pre-cal homework completely forgotten.

* * *

><p><strong>So, I hope you don't hate ma story...it is the first Crisscolfer story I have written so please be easy on meh! So I hope you liked it<strong>

**Klaine hugs and kisses!  
><strong>

**Kiwi**

**PS. I appreciate concrit**

**PPS. just a warning the shits about to hit the fan in the next half**

**until the next time!**

**I love you guys!**


	2. The not so epic conclusion!

**Well guys,**

**so here you are the second part of my dream! I changed it up a little bit so hopefully it's still as good.**

**Enjoy!**

**Kiwi**

**PS: I own nothing, except the plot that is mine but everything else is not!**

**PPS: Please don't hate me for changing it up!**

* * *

><p>They became very close after that with Chris going to Darren's house almost every day sometimes Lea would join them other times it would be just the two of them. The weeks wore on and Darren found him-self falling for Chris a little bit more with each day. He should have known though, that things wouldn't be all rainbows and sunshine no matter how much he wished they would be.<p>

Chris had finally told Darren what his screenplay was about and after some persuasion and Darren's patented puppy dog eyes; he very reluctantly let Darren read it.

"Good Morning Christopher!" Darren said handing Chris his screenplay before leaning on the locker next to Chris's like he did every day.

"You-you finished it? In one night?" Chris asked incredulously.

"Yes. And it was amazing! I don't think I've laughed so hard in my life and that ending! God I cried so hard! You are such an amazing writer! So much talent…" Darren rambled on like he often did when he got excited.

"Gee Darren you sound like a fan-girl or in this case boy." Someone laughed from behind them.

"Hi Lea!" Darren said enthusiastically, bouncing over to her to give her a hug.

"She's right you know…you do sound like a fan-boy." Chris said sniggering slightly.

"You know what? I am a fan-boy!" Darren announced smirking evilly at Chris.

"Oh no" Chris muttered when Darren grabbed Lea's arm and began tugging on it.

"Oh my god Lea I can't believe it! It's him! It's him! It's Chris Colfer! Oh my God!" He announced running up to Chris. "Oh my God! I can't believe it's you! I am your biggest fan!" Darren squealed. "Can- can I have your autograph?" Darren asked holding out his pink notebook pretending to blush shyly.

"Well, since you're my biggest fan, I would love to…who should I make it out to?" Chris asked.

"Darren." Darren replied pretending to be shy.

"Dearest Dare Bear, you are an annoying dork but I still seem to hang around you anyway, I don't know why but I do. Please quit acting like a fan girl Love, CC smiley face." Chris said writing out what he spoke before handing Darren his notebook back.

"Thank you Chris! Ooh, Lea, Lea take our picture! Take our Picture!" Darren told her wrapping an arm around Chris with a big cheesy smile on his face. Lea laughed and then took a picture with the camera she used for her photography class.

"That is so going on Facebook!" Lea announced showing them the picture. Darren looked like an over excited puppy and Chris looked somewhere between bemused and wanting to punch Darren in the face.

"I want a copy!" Darren told her.

"Of course!" Lea replied linking arms with him and Chris like she always did.

"Darren you do know I'm not famous yet right?" Chris asked him.

"Yes but now when you do become a famous actor slash screenwriter slash author slash whatever else I can say I was your first fan!" Darren told him and truly he was a fan. He wanted to see Chris reach his dreams…and then rub it in the faces of all of the assholes who made his life a living hell even though Chris never would.

"If I become famous Darren…If." Chris reminded him.

"Ha! If…the question is not if Mr. Colfer but when." Darren told him leading him and Lea to class…none of them aware of the jock watching them from the other side of the hallway a look of pure hatred on his face.

Darren had stopped by his locker to grab his lunch before meeting Chris for lunch when he became aware that he was being followed.

"What do you want Asstin?" Darren sighed upon recognizing Austin's looming figure.

"To know why you keep hanging out with that fag…I thought my warnings got through to you but apparently not." Austin hissed. Darren rolled his eyes remembering Austin's "warnings", if you called getting repeatedly shoved into your locker and told to "stay away from the fairy boy" and having the words "stay away from the fag or else" spray painted on his locker on three separate occasions warnings.

"Yeah, I still have bruises from your last "warning"." Darren muttered. "And like I said last time… I'm not going to stop being his friend because of assholes like you who can't accept who he is!" Darren told him repeating the same thing he told him every time he had warned Darren.

"Well, I was just going to give you another warning but then I saw something interesting this morning." Austin said nonchalantly.

"And what would that be?" Darren asked him, noticing a few of the other jocks that gave Chris hell crowd around him…blocking off his escape, well that couldn't be good.

"I saw you hanging all over Colfag this morning. So I thought to myself what would a perfectly good straight guy be doing hanging all over a queer like Colfer and then I realized…Colfer turned you gay. You're his little cock slut now aren't you?" Austin sneered.

"You can't "turn someone gay" I already told you that." Darren muttered. "And no we aren't dating." He added dejectedly.

"Yes you are! And since I can't seem to talk sense into you I guess me and my friends will have to beat it into you." Austin said punching him straight in his stomach knocking the wind out of him before someone else grabbed him and hit him in the face and then stomach again knocking him down to the ground. Darren barely managed to cover his head with his arms before he was hit with an onslaught of feet and fists.

After what felt like an eternity the hits stopped and a hand lifted his now bruised face off the ground by his hair.

"Now maybe you'll learn." Austin hissed before dropping him back down.

"You're the one who needs to learn." Darren said using the lockers to pull himself into a semi standing stance.

"And what, pray tell, do I need to learn." Austin asked.

"You can't "turn someone gay" who is already gay." Darren said defiantly, glaring at Austin through his eye that hadn't swollen shut.

"What the hell does that mean?" Austin hissed.

"It means that Chris didn't turn me gay…I already was gay to begin with!" Darren told him defiantly.

"You disgusting fag!" Austin screamed punching Darren's face again dropping him instantly. The next thing Darren was aware of was something hitting his abdomen and then a horrid crunch sound of flesh hitting metal before pain erupted down his right leg and then a loud piercing scream that seemed to come from him.

Darren faintly heard someone scream his name and a sobbing noise and felt moisture falling in his hair. The last thing he remembered was an angel leaning over him calling out his name.

He was out cold for two days before he finally came to and found out the damage done. A sprained wrist, four broken ribs, two cracked, three bruised, a broken nose and eye socket, and a broken femur. He was told the break was from colliding with the open door of his locker and that they had to put screws in his leg. He'd have to use crutches for the next few months.

To put the poo flavored cherry on top of the shit cake that was this whole situation, Chris didn't come to see Darren once in the whole two weeks he was in that hellhole they call a hospital room. Although, according to Lea who came to see him every day to bring him all of the work he was missing out on at school, Chris wasn't doing very well. He'd stop talking to every one completely and had bags and dark circles under his eyes and the bullying towards him was at an all time high. Darren had sighed and resolved to find and talk to Chris when he returned to school.

Darren let out a sigh after his dad helped him lay down on his bed.

"Night papa thanks for…everything." Darren muttered loud enough for Charles to hear. Darren meant it to…he couldn't believe it when he found out his dad had stormed into his school right after Darren had told him what he could remember and demanded the boys responsible be expelled or better yet arrested. The best the school could do was to suspend Austin for a few weeks because he was the only one Darren could properly identify and there was no evidence of what had happened besides Darren's word and the security cameras whose tapes mysteriously disappeared. Needless to say his dad was pissed.

"Night Buddy, sleep well." His dad replied pulling him into a hug ruffling his hair before walking towards the living room.

Darren sighed again his mind still on Chris.

"Ok what's going on in that busy head of yours?" His mom asked him knowingly.

"Nothing mamma" Darren replied trying to turn away from her without aggravating his ribs.

"Dare Bear…I know when you're lying baby. Now come here and tell your mamma what's bugging you." His mom replied laying down next to him waiting for him to speak.

"Chris never came to see me." Darren muttered lowly wiping away the stupid tears that insisted on falling down his cheeks anyway.

"You need to speak up sweetie…I can't hear you."

"Chris never came to see me. He's my best friend! Why wouldn't he come to see me?" Darren asked turning towards his mom tears shining in his eyes.

"Oh Dare bear." She cooed hugging him gently. "He did come to see you…while you were still sleeping… he stayed and talked to you for about an hour before leaving."

"Why…why would he leave and then just not come back to see me? Do you know what he said?" Darren asked growing even more confused.

"I'm not sure honey…but I think it had something with what he said to you. And no I don't know what he said, he was crying by the time he finished and he kept apologizing as though the whole thing was his fault." She told him.

"So that's why…" Darren muttered. Poor Chris must think this whole thing was his fault and that's why he didn't go see him. Darren knew what he had to do the next day in school…he had to talk to Chris…to make him see that he didn't blame him.

"Why what honey?"

"He thinks I blame him for what happened…that I'm mad at him." Darren said stifling a yawn as he snuggled into his blankets more. "I'm not mad at him though." Darren muttered as sleep overtook him. "I can't be mad at him mamma…I'm in love with him. You can't be mad at someone you love"

He dreamt he was floating limb less in a sea of black searching for something but he had no clue what. He wasn't sure how long he floated there searching before he finally saw a white speck. Curious, he floated towards it watching a hospital room float into view, his hospital room. He floated closer and closer to himself until he drifted straight through his unconscious body.

Then next thing he became aware of was that he had a body again and it was on fire as though someone was trying rip his right leg off and every breath hurt. He tried to scream when a spasm of pain streaked through his leg and ribs but it came out as a quiet whimper. There was a sudden pressure on his hand and a hushing sound from somewhere to his right.

"I'm sorry Dare Bear so sorry." Even full of sorrow and regret Chris's voice sounded beautiful. Except what did Chris have to be sorry about? He didn't do anything to Darren. None of this was his fault. Darren wanted to tell him everything was ok and that Chris had nothing to be sorry for but he couldn't seem to find his voice or make his lips move. After several futile attempts to speak Darren finally gave in and lay there listening to Chris mumble wishing he would speak louder so Darren could hear him.

But he didn't and eventually he stopped mumbling. Darren heard a rustling noise and felt something wet on his forehead…tears. "Please forgive me." Chris mumbled. Darren felt a pair of lips brush against his forehead feather light almost as if they weren't actually there before he heard the sounds of shoes on linoleum and a door open. "I-I love you Dare Bear." And with that he was gone.

Darren wanted to call out to him, to beg him to stay. To hold him and tell him he loved him too but his arms wouldn't work and he still couldn't get his lips to move. Then everything faded to black again.

Darren woke up sobbing, reaching out for Chris, wanting desperately to understand why Chris would say he loved Darren and then run off. He lay there until he had cried himself dry and his breathing had returned to normal and, eventually, his alarm went off. Turning it off he eased himself into a sitting position and then stood up using the wall for support before limping into the bathroom to get ready for school.

….

Chris rushed towards his locker keeping his head down in an effort to keep from attracting attention to him-self, hoping that the assholes insisting on making his life hell would actually leave him alone for once. He looked up once he got to his locker quickly putting his combo in before ripping it open and unceremoniously shoving his stuff into it grabbing his history paper and slamming it closed.

"Chris!" Chris winced as the voice of the one person he'd really rather not talk to right now floated over the mundane babble. He turned towards it regretting it instantly when he saw Darren walking over him with his crutches a pained look on his face. He turned intent on running off only to have a hand close gently around his wrist. "Please don't run…I just want to talk." Darren told him softly and Chris knew there was no way he could say no.

"Fine not here though. I don't want them to see you with me." Chris murmured pulling his wrist gently out of Darren's grip before heading to the nearest bathroom. "What do you want to talk about?" Chris asked snippily watching Darren lock the door. Darren's only response was to limp over and pull him into a hug.

"I'm not mad at you." Darren told him. "What happened wasn't your fault and I don't blame you at all so please don't blame yourself." He finished letting go.

"Yes it was! All of it! The beating, your leg, everything!" Chris began.

"No, it wasn't! Why would you even think that?" Darren asked cutting him off.

"I don't! I know it!"

"You c- how…what made you think that?"

"They told me." Chris said turning to hide the tear sliding down his cheek.

"Who did?" Darren asked softly pulling Chris into his arms again sinking down on the bathroom floor so that Chris was sitting in his lap. Chris shifted so he was on Darren's left leg careful not to put pressure on his right leg, which was sticking out awkwardly to keep it from causing him pain.

"Austin's flunkies. They grabbed me and forced me to watch and told me it was my fault." Chris said his voice breaking at the end.

"Forced you to watch what?" Darren asked his arms tightening protectively around Chris.

"They forced me to watch Austin and his other flunkies beat you up and told me it was my fault! That, that was what happens to people when I get close to them. They told me that that would happen again if I didn't "leave my little butt buddy"." Chris told him more tears falling down his cheek.

"Did you force them to go to corner me in that hallway?" Darren asked him.

"What? No." Chris replied wandering what the hell Darren was getting at.

"Okay then, did you force them to punch and kick me?" Darren asked.

"No but…" Chris began.

"Were you the one who kicked me so hard that I slammed into an open locker door and broke my femur?"

"You know I didn't!" Chris replied.

"Exactly! You didn't force them to corner me, you didn't force them to beat me and we both know you weren't the one who kicked me into a locker. It. Is. Not. Your. Fault. What those bastards did to me wasn't because of you. And I refuse; I refuse to let you blame yourself for it so stop it." Darren said a few tears of his own falling down his cheek.

"I'm sorry Dare Bear, I just- I can't watch them slowly tear you apart like they did me" Chris stood intending to run out of the bathroom but was stopped once again by a hand on his arm.

"Don't, don't shut me out. You're my best friend Christopher please. Don't shut me out. Just don't." Darren begged and Chris could tell he was crying.

"I'm sorry Darren." Chris murmured pulling out of Darren's hold and rushing out of the bathroom.

….

"Chris! Chris please! Chris!" Darren shouted hysterically limping down the hall after Chris not caring that he was sobbing uncontrollably… everyone was in class anyway. "Chris!" Darren called again his crutches slipping out from under him causing him to fall to the ground. "Chris." He muttered feeling as though his heart had been torn to pieces. He knew that look in Chris's eyes. Chris was shutting him out just like he did everyone else. He knew- without a doubt there would be a blank look in Chris's eyes the next time Darren saw them as though Chris didn't know him at all, that is if he even looked at Darren to begin with.

Darren started sobbing harder at that thought wishing he could disappear and get away from everything, every one. Wishing he didn't feel this way, like Chris had ripped his heart out and taken it with him. Hell, he wished he didn't feel at all. Then he wouldn't hurt so badly. He lay there on the floor crying and wishing until he heard someone call his name and a soft delicate hand touched his shoulder gently.

"Come on Dare let's get you out of here." Lea murmured softly into his ear. Darren muttered something incoherently and allowed her to help him to his feet, ignoring the strange looks given to him from the students passing by. He was vaguely aware of being put into his car. Then Lea was guiding him into his own house and into his own bed telling him she was there when he was ready to talk and then the sounds of Lea and his mom talking down in the living room.

Darren wasn't sure how long he laid on his bed before the tears finally stopped he was able to get up and limp his way down the hall collapsing on the couch laying with his head next to Lea who ran her fingers through his hair.

"Ready to talk?" She asked him. He nodded in response staring at the blank wall next to the TV like he was trying to memorize it.

"He's gone." Darren murmured wiping more tears from his eyes. "He left."

"What do you mean he left?" Lea asked.

"He-he thinks it's his fault…my leg. Austin's flunkies made him watch and now he thinks it's his fault and he's gone." Darren explained his voice breaking on the last word.

"I still don't know what you mean by he's gone."

"He wants nothing to do with me anymore; he thinks that if he stays away from me they will leave me alone." Darren explained.

"Oh Darren." Lea giggled. "You do know why he is doing this right?" She asked.

"Yes, to keep those assholes away from me." Darren replied feeling a little frustrated at having to tell her again.

"No. He's doing it because he loves you, you dork." She replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well that's a shitty way of showing it!" Darren replied glaring at the wall as though everything was its doing.

"No it's not, it's quite sweet actually." Lea replied thoughtfully. "He's trying to protect you."

"Protect me from what?" Darren asked her.

"From getting ridiculed and tortured like he does every day. He'd rather be miserable, alone, and tormented and have him-self go through hell everyday then subject you to it." She explained.

"Yeah, well I'd rather he be my friend then not have him at all!" Darren replied sullenly.

"Darren Everett Criss, are you pouting?" Lea asked him incredulously.

"No! And how do you even know my middle name?" he asked her.

"Don't change the subject and your mother called you that last time I was here when you broke that flower print lamp by the sofa chasing after me with your pillow." Lea replied.

"I am not pouting! And in my defense you hit me with your pillow first and that lamp was butt ugly anyway." Darren scoffed indignantly.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…will you quit pouting…it won't bring Chris back." Lea replied rolling her eyes.

"I'm not pouting and do you know what would bring him back?" Darren asked sitting up hopefully.

"Unfortunately, nothing." Lea replied causing the hope in Darren's chest to deflate. "Once that boy makes up his mind there's no changing it."

"Oh." Darren replied flopping back down resuming his stare off with the wall.

….

Chris grunted as he was shoved into yet another locker and called yet another horrible name sliding to the ground before picking himself up and continuing to his locker. He opened it and grabbed his history text book smiling sadly at the picture he had put up on the inside of his door; the one Lea had taken of him and Darren after Darren had pretended to be a fan-boy.

"You miss him don't you?"

"Oh God!" Chris exclaimed jumping about two feet in the air before turning around to glare at Lea. "Damn it Lea, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" He snapped at her.

"Sorry CC" she replied using her nickname for him.

"And no I don't miss him." Chris replied sparing the picture one more wistful look before slamming his locker closed.

"Yes you do and he misses you too!" She insisted.

"Yeah, well it doesn't matter." Chris snapped.

"Yes it does! Just talk to him for god's sake! Save both of you some pain!" Lea replied

"No Lea I can't. I refuse to let them put him through the hell I go through everyday just to make myself happy." Chris told her.

"They already do! He told Austin he was gay and now the whole school knows." Lea told him. Chris swore under his breath before stalking through the history room door and straight up to Darren who was already sitting at his desk.

"You really are a dumb ass aren't you?!" He growled lowly dragging Darren out of the classroom and to the nearest bathroom ignoring Darren's mutter of "good morning to you too". "What the hell is your problem?" Chris demanded turning around to glare at Darren.

"My problem? I'm not the one who just randomly kidnapped my supposed friend who I haven't spoken to in about a month, by the way, and drug him into a random bathroom for no reason!" Darren snapped.

"You told Austin didn't you? After I specifically told you not too you moron!" Chris yelled at him.

"I didn't tell Austin shit!" Darren yelled back.

"Fine then…show me your back" Chris replied.

"What?"

"Show me. Your back. Now!" Chris snapped turning Darren around and yanking his shirt up when Darren continued to stare at him confusedly. "Oh Dare Bear." Chris murmured upon seeing the bruises littered across Darren's back. "How long has this been happening?" Chris asked his anger returning.

"I…what do you mean?" Darren asked.

"How long has he been shoving you into to lockers?" Chris growled glaring at him.

"Since the day after I came back." Darren replied softly.

"Son of a bitch!" Chris hissed before running out of the bathroom to the hallway that he knew Austin hung out at during his first period math class. "Austin!" Chris screamed marching straight up to him and shoving him back into his locker. "I don't care what you and your goonies do to me but you leave Darren the hell alone! You've done enough to him!" he snarled.

"Why? Don't like your butt buddy getting pushed around...or do you like to do the pushing or would that be riding?" Austin replied laughing cruelly.

"You shut up you disgusting piece of…" Chris began.

"Chris stop…he's not worth it." Darren said pulling Chris off of Austin.

"You don't…that son of a bitch…" Chris sputtered angrily.

"I know and I'm telling you he is not worth it. You are so much better than that…don't let him get under your skin." Darren muttered softly.

"Fine." Chris snapped turning to walk back down the hall.

"Thank you." Darren replied limping alongside him with his crutches.

"You know" Austin called. "If my horse got a limp like that, I'd put him out of his misery instead of letting him gimp around everywhere!" Chris swore under his breath before turning around and pinning Austin to his locker.

"I swear to God, if you do not leave Darren alone I will go to the principle and I will tell him exactly what you did to Darren in the hallway and before you say anything I know exactly what happened to those tapes and how to get them." Chris snarled.

"Fine then I'll just destroy them." Austin replied smugly.

"Too bad I have them…next time you try to throw them out make sure you don't throw me into the same Dumpster the next day." Chris replied letting him go and walking over to Darren. "Let's go the bell is about ring." Chris murmured to him.

"Wait…does this mean you're talking to me again?" Darren asked hopefully.

"No." Chris replied as the bell rang purposely losing Darren in the crowd of students finding their way to their next classes.

….

Darren was happy to find in the weeks that followed that Austin had all but left him alone minus the constant slurs and occasionally "tripping" Darren as he limped passed him. Darren just wished he could say the same thing about Chris. If anything Austin's treatment towards Chris just got worse and Darren could see it wearing him down and he still wouldn't talk to Darren no matter how hard Darren tried to get him to and it was really frustrating Darren.

"Why won't he just give the camera footage to the principle and get Austin kicked out?" Darren ranted to Lea at his house one day after school.

"I don't know Darren." Lea replied taking a sip of her tea watching Darren pace around his living room.

"Or…or we could do it." he said sitting next her an almost desperate pleading look in his eyes. "Yeah, we can do it…we just have to figure out where Chris would hide it." Darren muttered the last part before taking up pacing again.

"And that's the part where we are screwed my dear friend." Lea replied.

"No we aren't." Darren replied conspiratorially

"Oh and what would make you say that?" Lea asked him.

"You're going to get him to tell you where they are." He replied.

"And how the hell am I supposed to do that?" She asked him.

"Simple, you're going to go up to him and tell him the truth." Darren replied. "You're going to tell him you are tired of this bullshit and that he needs to turn in the tapes and get Austin and his cronies kicked out so that way we both won't be so sad and lonely all the time."

"Right because he will totally listen to me." Lea replied sarcastically.

"Yes because he's tired of fighting. I can see it every day in his eyes. He's giving up. I don't think he'll last much longer against Austin and them…he'll listen this time…I know he will." Darren told her his face betraying the worry he felt for his best friend.

Darren watched Lea all but beg Chris to turn in the tapes of the incident from the other end of the hallway the next day.

"Chris please, just turn them in and end this whole thing!" She begged.

"I can't!' He snapped back.

"Why? You could see Darren again, I know you miss him as much as he misses you and I know you love him!" Lea replied.

"It doesn't matter Lea I can't turn those tapes in!" Chris yelled back.

"Why not?" Lea yelled back. "Why won't you just end all of this torture already?'

"Because I d…ha…tpph…" Chris murmured.

"What?"

"I don't actually have the tapes ok!" He screamed making Darren shake his head in sadness. He was never going to get Chris back now!

"Then why'd you say you did?" Lea asked softly.

"So he would leave Darren alone." Chris replied. "I couldn't stand the thought of Darren getting hurt and I knew that idiot was stupid enough to believe that I had them so I said I did." Darren's heart broke when he saw the tear fall from Chris's eye.

"Oh CC" Lea murmured pulling him into a hug.

"I just…as long as he's ok I'll be fine." Chris assured her returning her hug the bell signally class ringing above them.

"He's not you know." Lea replied breaking the hug.

"Not what?" Chris asked.

"Ok….he misses you like crazy and he doesn't smile like he used to. It doesn't light up his face anymore…it's like you took all of the light from his life when you left; like you took his heart with you." Lea replied thoughtfully before she walked off to class.

Darren watched Chris for a few seconds longer before turning to go to his English class but stopped dead in his tracks, his blood running cold when he heard the sound of flesh hitting metal. He turned and limped as fast as his crutches would allow towards Chris's locker where Austin had him pinned.

"A little birdie told me you don't have those security tapes." Austin sneered.

"You have got to stop this!" Darren screamed ripping Austin off of Chris. "What is your problem any way?" he asked standing in front of Chris so Austin couldn't get to him.

"My problem fags," Austin sneered. "Is that I don't want you running around spreading your fairy dust trying to turn me gay!"

"Wait what?" Darren asked realizing that there was something more to this then Austin just being a homophobe.

"Like Darren's told you multiple times we can't turn someone gay! It's something you are not something you choose, you either like boys or you don't!" Chris snapped talking to Austin like you would a small child.

"You have a crush on Chris don't you?" Darren asked softly finally realizing what Austin's real problem was. "That's why you are always pushing him into lockers and shit because you blamed him for making you gay."

"What? No!" Austin replied while Chris looked at Darren like he was crazy.

"That's it. You like him but you didn't know how to handle it so you reacted with anger instead of what you should have done which was ask someone for help!" Darren was almost shouting at the end of his sentence.

"Fine…I'm gay! Happy?" Austin whispered.

"No!" It was Chris who spoke. "You made my life hell and beat the living hell out of Darren and for what? Because you had some sort of crush on me and were…oh god! You were jealous weren't you?" Chris asked. "That's why you beat him up…because you were jealous of how close we were; that I loved him and not you!" Chris blurted blushing bright red when he realized what he had said.

"I-I I-yes." Austin admitted at the same time Darren turned to Chris and asked "So you do love me?"

"Wow, you need help and now. You can't treat people the way you've treated us…it's not ok." Chris told him.

"I know…I just I don't know what to do." Austin admitted.

"Do the right thing." Chris urged. "Go to the principle and tell him what you did to Darren and then find someone you can talk to who will be able to help you sort out your problems, someone you can trust. But most of all you need to stop bullying us. That's the first and easiest step." Chris explained.

"Fine but I ain't seeing no psychiatrist or whatever. I don't have mental problems!" Austin replied.

"No but maybe it couldn't hurt to talk to a therapist, have them help you work through your problems?" Darren suggested.

"I'll think about it." Austin said turning to leave. "By the way…this conversation never happened got it?" He said over his shoulder as he left.

"Yep…never happened you were never here." Darren replied before turning to Chris. "So…you love me huh?" Darren asked.

"It doesn't matter if I do." Chris replied trying to walk off.

"The hell it doesn't!" Darren replied limping in front of him and cutting off his escape.

"It doesn't!" Chris insisted.

"Why the fuck not?" Darren asked him.

"Because I'm the fag with the high pitched voice!" Chris told him.

"And I'm the fag with the gimpy leg." Darren replied placing his hand on Chris's cheek and leaning in slowly, softly pressing his lips to Chris's. Darren pulled away after a few seconds and whispered. "I don't care what you are as long as I can call you mine."

"So I take it you're not mad at me?" Chris asked sheepishly.

"Never. I couldn't mad at you if I tried." Darren replied stroking Chris's cheek softly with his thumb.

"Good, I'm glad 'cause I feel like an ass for hurting you like I did. I shouldn't have avoided you like that all it did was make us both miserable and lonely." Chris replied.

"Yeah, but I know why you did it and I'm willing to forgive you if you promise to never do it again ever." Darren replied with a smirk knowing that he had forgiven Chris the moment he started ignoring Darren.

"Never ever again." Chris replied kissing him again pulling away only when the need for air became too apparent.

"By the way." Darren whispered breathlessly. "I love you too." Chris chuckled and pecked him on the lips again. "Oh…my mom's making Chicken tonight if you want to come over for dinner." Darren added.

"I'd love to." Chris replied final bell ringing signaling that school was out for the day. Smiling bigger then Darren had ever remembered smiling in his life Darren grabbed Chris's hand and led him to his car and for once neither of them spared a second thought for the weird looks and hushed whispers they received as they walked through the school. They could go to hell for all the boys cared because finally, finally they got to be the happy one's and they'd be damned if they let anyone else take that away from them.

* * *

><p><strong>So there you go! I hope you liked it! please don't hate me for what I did to Darren! (My subconscious apparently likes to hurt DarrenBlaine :/ it worries me sometimes).**

**thank** **you for reading!**

**kiwi**

**PS: thank you for all of your reviews/alerts!**

**PPS: Please lemme know what you think of the changes!**


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